Island



R. L. FOSTER LIQUID FUEL BURNER Filed April 14. 1924' s Sheets-Sheet '1 lhdni or:

. Patenteel Aug; 1927.

RAYMOND L. FOSTER, OF'APPONAUG, RHODE ISLAND.

LIQUID-FUEL BURNER.

This invention relates to improvements iin'liquid-tuel burners particularly to' burners of the gravity-teed type.

A principal object'cf the improvement is to provide a simple, compact burner structure. which maybe applied to use with, furnacesor boilers oi Conventional type without alteration therein, and one which will opv gerate more efficiently to obtain complete lflcOillbHStlOltO'f theiuel without carbonlzation.

provide. a liquid-fuel burner which may be constructed as a single unitarydevice without extra partsfor attachments, and which maybe extendediin series to increase its capacity. i

1 dinotherjobject. of the improvement is to,

. provide aburnerwhich may be constructed in series with aplurality of units combined.

in a single structure. y 7 Another object of the impr'ovement is to 7 provide a burner in which there are no pipes cxposed to thefla'me or liable to ,.be burned out by tie heat generated in the fire-bowl.

.Another object or the improvement is to fregulate the flow [of the fueltothe burner l steam generating chamber wherein water maybe vaporized and the vapor supplied to the flame .to increase the effect of com- ..;bustionan'd prevent the deposit of carbon Yon the burner or on the boiler with which it is used. f I

Another object cram improvementis to provide for supplying a maximum amount of oxygen to the burner without danger of extinguishing the flame from too-strong a dra it under extreme conditions in the flue.

, Further objectsof the improvement are et forth in the'follo-wing specification which 1e drawings:

"tical. sectional view of the 5 howing it applied to use drawings In tl 11s a to prevent flooddescribesa preferred embodiment of therinion" as illustrated in the accompanying.

. nd 5.11m

Application filed April'l, 1924. Serial No. 706,330.

trating the regulating-means for the feed of thefuel and the supply of water;

Fig.2 is anfienlarged plan view of the firebowl of the burner showing a portionof the air-manifold employed therewith, and also or valve in the air-duct;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the complete burner taken in the vertical plane of its axis on the line 33 of Fig. 2, looking V v p .in the direction indicated by arrows 00; ,Another obgect oft-he improvement 1s to,

Fig. tis a plan View showing a plurality of burner-units embodied in a single structure;

Fig. 5 .is a Vertical sectional view of the same taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, as herein shown-the improved burner structure comprisesessentia-lly a concaved'firebowl2, preferably of substantially hemispherical form, in which is a centralburner-v nozzle 11 surmounted by an air-manifold 3. The main casting of the burner is constructed with an outer cylindrical wall 4; having a depending bottom flange 5 adapted to reston the grate G of the furnace F, as illust-rated'in Fig. 1, or to be supported by any other suitable means. Arranged at diametrically opposite points on the outer wall 4 of the bowl 2 are one or more vertical fines or air-ducts formed by substantially rectangular-shaped tubular extensions 5 constructed as a par-tot the main casting. The flues 6 extend downwardly a slight distance beyond the bottom of the bowl 2 in order that they may project below the grate or-other support on which the burner is held to open into the ash-pit-ot the furnace, A section otthe grate may be removed to allow the fines to enter.therethrough into the ash-pit P to provide for an unobstructed passage of the air drawn in through the ash-pit by the drattinthe chimney or main flue.

The draft-manifold 3 is preferably constructed as a separate casting and takes the form of a tubular bridge-piece extending across the top of the bowl 2 between the fines 6. A shown in Fig. 3, the down-turned open ends, of the drafttube or manifold 3 are adapted to lit overprojecting flanges 9 rising from the top of the air-fines 6. At the center of the manifold 3 the pipe is directed downwardly and formed with an enlarged eireiil X orifice whicho'pens into the center Hihe bowl 2 above the burner ii 1. at the airwln illustrating the arrangement of the damper erably employ a ()hQUli-(IlfllllPBl 8, shown at the right in Figs. 2 and 3, to regulate the draft through the manifold 3. The checkvalve 8 may be of conventional type such as usually applied to the flue pipes of furnaces, and may have a crank-arm 53 con the chimney-flue is too great the draft through the manifold may be checked by closingtlie damper 8, and if required another damper may be employed in the other airduct 6 leading into the manifold.

It will be noted from Fig. 3 of the drawings that the tire-bowl 2 has a relatively shallow concavity formed by its hemispherical wall 10, at the center of which. rises the stepped nozzle 11 forming the burner proper.

V In the nozzle or burner 11 is a central orifice 12 having an upper flaring mouth and also an inner downwai;'clly-fiaring conical throat 13. Beneath the throat 13 of the burner is the fuel-preheating chamber or reservoir 14 formed by a cylindrical wall 15 connecting the concaved wall of the bowl with the lower horizontal wall or base 16. The upright cylindrical wall is spaced inwardly from the outer boundary wall 4 to provide an annular or ringshaped steuni-generating chamber 17 to which the water .is supplied for vaporization, and from which the steam issues to becarried to the flame. It is to be noted that the stearn-cl'iainber 11' is made as an integral part of the muin casting of the burner and is separated from the the bowl thereof by a relatively thin all so that the heat from the burner will be applied to the water in the steam-chamber with a may 4 im'uni efficiency to generate the vapor as required. The vapor may be passed from the steanrchainber 1'? directly into the air-ducts or fines 6 by means of suitable openings 18 cut through the outer wall of the steam chamber at the top as shown in Fig. 8. In some cases, however, I prefer to use a pipe 24 into the ash-pit beneath the burner, see Fig. l, and adapted to supplythe steam or vapor to cause it to be passed up through the fines 6 by the draft ther in. Either or both of these arrangements may be used as best adapted for the purpose in accordance with the method of operation of the apparatus later more fully explained.

I It will be noted that the fuel-reservoir or leading from the steam chamber 17 down pie-heating chamber 14 is located beneath the center of the bowl of the burner and separated from the area in which the flame confined; by a relatively thin top wall. This provides that the heat from the flame will raise the temperature of the fuel to a point where it becomes gaseous or volatilized. Through this provision the fuel is vaporized in the pre-heating chamber 14 the vapor rising therefrom through the funnel-shaped throat 13 and-being emitted at the mouth of the nozzle 11 to be ignited at this point. The fuel-chamber or reservoir 14 is supplied with fuel from suitable tanks, not herein shown; which are elevated above the burner to provide for a gravity-feed thereto. Referring to Fig. 1, the fuel feeds from the tanks through a pipe 19 which usually has a strainer 20 of suitable type applied thereto The pipe 19 is connected with a vertical pipe 21 which, in turn, leads through a horizontal. pipe 22 entering the door in the ash-pit P of the furnace andconnected by a length of vertical pipe 23 to the fuel-chamberor 1 to be broken up and volatilized to cause it to be exhaled through the burner-nozzle 11 in a vapor.

A control-valve 25 is placed in the feedpipe 21 near its upper end to regulate the flow of the fuel from the tanks to maintain a more uniform pressure and more constant A feed at the burner. At one side of the valve 25 a vent-pipe 33 leads upwardly to be carried to the atmosphere through suitable connections to meet safety requirements as prescribed by the Underwriters Laboratories. Beneath the control-valve 25 is a suitable shut-off valve 34, and below this is a usual form of feed-regulating valve which may be connected by a chain or cord 36 to be operated automatically from a thermostat. The arrangement of the thermostat-valve 36 being well known and generally employed in the present art it is not herein illustrated or described in detail.

At one side of. the furnace F is located a water-tank 40 which supplies water to the steam-chamber 17 of the burner. The tank 40 is supplied from the service pipe line through a feed-pipe 41 having a shut-off cock 42, see Fig. 1. The water tank 40 contains the usual ball-cock by means of which the level of the water is regulated ina wellknown manner. The ball-cock is adjusted to maintain the level of the water in the tank 40 at such a height that the water in ltlt) Ill) v ber 17. if

than cover itsbottom, see Fig. 1. The water feeds from the water tank through a pipe enteringthrough the ash-pit door of the furnace and leading up through the bottom of the burner casting 2-into the steam-cham- Referring to Fig. 1, the usual overflow drain is applied to the bowl of the burner'to the fuel be fed to theburner after the flame is extinguished, the' oilrising in the bowl Will drain out through the pipe 48 into the bucket 49 andweight the latter to cause it to drop through gravity to close the shutoff valve51, this being a usual arrangement in accordance 'with. safety requirements to eliminate fire; hazard.

surmounting the topof the burnernozzle 11 is animproved flame-spreader ordeflector 57 which also acts as a draft-bafile or protector to prevent abnormal blasts of air from extinguishing the flame; Asfshown in Figs.

2 and 3-my improved flame-spreader and vdraft-baflle 57 may consist in a hub or'support 58 adapted to'restwithin-thetapered -mouth of the nozzle 11 and having'a pipe i nipple'59 projecting downwardly through Y the contracted portion of the mouth to hold it in position. The pipe or nipple 5.9 is preferably filed'ofi' or. flattened on its sides to provide slight spaces or openings to allow excess oil to drain backinto the reservoir 14. Projecting upwardly from the hub 58 of the flame-spreader 5.7 are two diverging arms 60 at thetop of which is supported a flat circular cap or disk 61. It will be noted from Fig. 3that the cap 61 ofthe spreader V 57 is set at a height to bring it within the 1 centralorifice or air-opening 7 of the manifold 3.

'wardlyfrom the opening or orifice 7 is thus caused to be parted at the center and di- .verted outwardly at either side of the fuel nozzle 11. This prevents the draft from blowing directly against the flame and thus guards againstthe danger of a sudden blast of air extinguishing the flame and putting the burner out of operation. Furthermore,

the spreader 5'? acts on the flame risingfrom the nozzle 11 of the burner to deflect it outwardly and downwardly as ind1cated by the arrows in Fig. 3. In this way the flame is caused to mushroom and to be spread outwardly and downwardly to cause it to hover in the. bowl of the burner; The effect of. this is to providea substantially fountain-; like sheetof flame spreading from all sides of the burner and hovering within the bowl,

The current of air passing down-w manifold 3 and thus raises the temperature of the air passing therethrough so that it will have greater efliciency in atomizing the fuelvapor to supply a large amount of oxygento raise the effect of combustion to produce the maximum degree of heat.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings illustrate my improved burner embodied in'a single unit, thetype here shown being adapted for general household use with average sized furnaces and boilers. here greater capacity is required, however, as for instance in large residences or for office and institutional buildings, the units may be multiplied in a single structure by extending them in series. That is to say, one, two, three or more of the burners may be constructed 111 a unitary casting as indicated in Figs. 4

and 5. It has been demonstrated that a plurality of-burners arranged in series as described Wlll increase the efiiciency of the apparatus while also conserving the fuel and making for greater economy in both smalland large-capacity installations. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the bowls 2 of the burner are joined at their circumference with in dividual steam-chambers extending around the rims of the bowls and separated by a vertical Wall or partition 62. The arrangement of the burners in this modification is substantially the same in other respects as .first described, each bowl having its own manifold 3 surmounting the airducts 6 and also provided w1th its individual burner nozzle 11 rising above the fuel-chamber 14. 2

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have'illustrated a some what difi'erent form of flame-spreader and draft-baffle 63. The device functions in substantially the same manner as before explained, but is of slightly different construction having aring-portion 64: adapted to seat 111 the uppermost groove surrounding .the stepped'nozzle 11. Rising from the ring 64 are two legs or arms 65 which support the circular cap 66. This form of device is set 111 place with its ring surrounding the 'tip of the nozzle and 15 held in the groove by gravity so that it may be readily lifted off when it is required to clean the burner. Having now described the construction and arrangement of my improved burner in detail, its method of operation will next be explained. The burner is applied to position in the furnace by resting it on the grate G or. supporting it from any suitable foundation, and usually a bed of cinders or broken refractory material is spread across the top of the grate: to completely fill the space around the burner and prevent draft therethrough. For a most effective air-seal the space around-the burn-er may be lilled I V 'withwet asbestos and covered with 1 fine frOmwhiohit isdeflected to be thrown out-* wardly and upwardly with an intense heat' ':The flame rising {from the burnerheatsthe burner casting 2 by merelysetti'ng over the flanges 9 on the vertical air-ducts 6 and the flame-spreader 57 is set U1 place over the mouth of the burner-nozzle 11. The

burner is then piped in accordance with any in the manner as previously explained. The

installation of the hnner requires no cutting away of the fur-mice or boiler or other fitting or alteration.

l i ith the burner talled as above explained the valve Set opened and the fuel ill feed down through the pipe 21, thence-v through the pipe and up through pipe 23 into the reservoir 1 f.

nozzle 11 and the draft entering through the air-ducts 6 will be drawn up through the manifold 3 and expelled downwardly around the nozzle to supply the oxygen to As the fuel in the reservoir. 1 L becomes heated from the ell'ectof combus tion around the nozzle ll it is volatilized and hence the vapor rising therefrom will issue in increasing volume unt l comluistion is at the maximum whereupon the feed of the fuel is regulated by. means of the shutoff valve 34 or the automatic thermostatvalve 36 to control the flame in accordance with the degree of heat. required. The combastion in the bowl of the burner heats its wall 10 to raise the temperature of the ater,

in the steam-chamher. 17 and the steam or vapori'ising therefrom issues through the passages 18 into the air-ducts 6 to commingle with the air drawn through the manifold 3 and supplied to the flame around the nozzle 11. In most cases I prefer to provide the pipe 24; leading from the steam-chamber 17 down intothe aslrpit or, if required, several of these pipes may be employed and the orifices between the chamber and the air parts of the burner or on the boiler sections within the furnace. It is well known that when oil is cracked or vaporized under the effect of heat a residue is left in the form of carbon. lVith the present improved apparatus the introduction ofthe moisture-satu rated." air Causes this carbon to be consumed by chemical action and therefore no deposit The vapor rising, from the fuel is iginteiil at themouth of the.

collects around'the burner orifice or at other points. It has been demonstrated that the present improved type of burner may be operated for long periods Without showing the slightest'sign of soot or carbon, this result being accomplished through the thorough oxidization of the fuel vapor by the application of the steam-saturated air as above explained. It is further to be noted that the arrangement of the steam-chamber 17 surrounding the oil-reservoir 14 provides thatthe water will absorb the excess heat from the sides of the oil-chamber so that carbon willnotform onits walls. The pipe 24 serves asa' vent not only for the steam from the generating-chamber 17, but also to carry the heat units down into the ash-pit P sothat in this waythe walls of the burner never become excessively hot.

ts a further improvement, the flame- :i'preader acts to mushroom and expand the flame to theouterwalls of the fire-pot, besides serving to distribute the draft to obtain the maximum effect therefrom. In ad dition. the cap or battle at the top of the spreader prevents the extinguishing of the flame under a sudden blast, as for instance during severe storms or disturbances inthe .weather, my improved device being practically proof against accidental quenching or extinguishing of the flame under any con dit-ions.

It will be observed that my improved lnirner is exceedingly simple in structure while being of compact form without aumly iary attachments or extensions applied to the burner castin It is also to be noted that there are no pipes projecting from the burner and'exposed to the flame and thus liable to be burned through. The main casting of the burner is of ingenius design to comprehend within its walls the several compartments required, namely, the main bowl, the fuel-reservoir arranged therebeheath, the surrounding steam-chamber, and

the air-ducts which lead into the overhead manifold. All of these several parts of the burner being combined in one piece make for a neater and more finished mechanical structure, besides cheapening the cost of producmon and also increasing its eflieiency forthe reasons before given. In fact, my improved burner in each and every feature of design and construction embodies an improved method of functioning for maximum efliciency and particularly for the prevention of carbonization and the loss of heat units through lack of complete combustion.

While Ijhave herein described and illus-' trated a preferred type of constrnction o'f the burner-with certain modifications shown in connection therewith, it is to be understood that other changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the parts of the device without departing from the spirit loo 121 arranged beneath the bowl and having means for supplying steam to theflame m the bowl.

2. A liquid-fuel burner comprising a single unitary structurehavmg a hre-bowlw1th a burner-nozzle therein, a iuel-reservolr extending laterally beneathv the bottom wall of the bowl, a steam-generating chamber arranged beneath thebowl, and an air-maniitold surmounting the bowl and having its mouth directed downwardly thereinto to distribute the draft around the burnernozzle,

3. A liquid-fuel burner comprising in'a unitary structure, a fire-bowl having a burner-nozzle at its center, a fuel-reservoir arilii ranged beneath the bowl in communication with the nozzle, air-ducts leading upwardly at the sides ofthe bowl, an air-manifold connected with said ducts and provided with -'a downwardly directed opening arranged 31.1 above the burner-nozzle, and a steam-generating chamber arranged benea'th'the bowl and, communieatmg with the air-ducts to provide for the passage of steam thereinto .to humidity the air'passing to the flame.

- 3s .4. liquid-fuel burner .comprising in a unitary structure, a hemispherical firebowl having aburner-orifice, a fuel reservoir extending laterally'bcneath the botton wall of the firedoowl and communicating therewith to through the burner-orifice, an annular steamchamber surrounding the fuel-reservoir, and

inean's for supplying the vapor from the steam-generating chamber to the flame in the firebowlf o 5. In a device of the'type'rspecir'ied, the 'co abination: in a unitary structure, of a concaved hemisphericalfire-bowl, a burnernozzle at the center of said fire-bowl provided with an inner tapering-throat, ,a fuelreservoir extending. laterally beneath the throat oi": the nozzle, and an annularsteam-' chamber surrounding the iuel-reservoirand provided with means for the-egress of the steam to apply it to the airsupplied to the flamein the bowl 6. Ina device'ot the type specified, a unitary'structure comprising a ,concaved firebowl,.a fuel-reservoir extending laterally beneath the wallso'f the fire-bowl, a burnernozzle opening from the reservoir into the bowl, a steam-generating chamber arranged beneath the bowl, and means communicating with the steam-chamber-to direct the vapor to the atmosphere surrounding the burner.

f 7. In a device ofthe typ e. specified, the.

combination in a unitary structure, of a firebowl having vertical air-ducts at its side, a

burner-nozzle within the fire-bowl a fuel- 7 unitary structure, a fire-bowl having a concaved hemispherical wall provided with a burner-orifice and an outer cylindrlcal boundary wall extending therebelow, a bot-.

tom wall spaced below the concaved wall, anda vertlcal wall d1viding the space be neath the bowl into a central fuel-reservoir with an annular steam-generating chamber surrounding said reservoir.

9. A liquid-fuel burner comprising in a unitary structure, a concaved fire-bowl having depending outer boundary wall, a bottom wall extending across the space beneath the bowl and joined to the boundary wall, a vertical wall dividing the space below the bowl into a "fuel-reservoir having a burner orifice opening intothebowl and an annular steam-generating chamber surrounding the reservoir within the boundary wall, and vertical air-ducts at the rim of the bowl leading upwardly from beneath the bowl.

10. A liquid-fuel burner comprising a firebowl, a burner-nozzle in the bowl, a draft flue open to the atmosphere at a point heneath the bowl and arranged to'direct'the draft of air toward the burnernozzle, a steam-chamber arranged to be heated by the flame from the burner-nozzle, and a pipe leading downwardly from the steam-chamber and opening to the atmosphere at a point adjacent the intake opening or" the draftfluen Q 11. In a combination with a furnace having a combustion chamber and an ash-pit therebelow, a liquid-fuel burner arranged a steanrchamber arranged to be heated by the flame from the burner-nozzle, and a pipe leading fromthe steam-chamber down into the ash-pit and communicating with the atmospherein the space surrounding the intake of the air-flue.

12. A burner comprising means for burning a gas, a water chamber beneath said means, an air manifold to supply air to said means, and a steam outlet "from said chamher into said manifold.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

RAYMOND L. ros'rng 

